


The Devil's Den

by future_love



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: (I might integrate some aspects of DMC 5 into the following chapters), All of Ch. 1 and most of 2 was written before DMC 5 was announced, F/F, F/M, Multi, Post-DMC2, slight Lady/Trish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-03-25 21:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13842942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/future_love/pseuds/future_love
Summary: Nobody bothered to delve into the personal lives of the Son of Sparda and his fellow demon hunters in their day-to-day lives. There's more to what meets the eye when it comes to Dante, Lady, and Trish for sure. Especially Lady; unbeknownst to her are the consequences of a decision made long ago.





	1. Past and Present

**Author's Note:**

> The views and opinions expressed by the characters do not reflect those of the author.
> 
> (You may have noticed that the title has changed. It did, because I felt the last one was too bland.)  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very minor parts of this chapter have been altered.

The shop felt barren due to the absence of the notorious silver-haired demon hunter. It had been over a year since Dante’s nosedive into hell. Everything, from the furniture to the posters and decor, excluding the cobwebs and the usual mess of pizza boxes accompanied by cans of beer, was left intact. The only person trying to keep the place from caving in was Trish, who felt an obligation to take over the business after his disappearance. Lady had been around from time to time to visit and work with the demoness, but unfortunately other duties occupied a majority of her time lately.  


Perched on the edge of the old wooden desk, Trish reminisced about the times she was surrounded by the only people who seemed to give a damn about her. Especially Dante, and when he didn’t return from last mission, Trish was amazed by how much she accomplished without him or Lady.  


A few miles away, Lady, accompanied by a woman on a separate motorcycle, made her way towards the city. She glanced over at her companion and smiled to herself when she received a certain familiar grin.  


The rumble of motorcycle engines accompanied by the chatter of two female voices interrupted the silence of the shop and Trish turned her head towards the double doors which, as if on cue, swung open, revealing Lady and her young companion.  


“I hope you don’t mind us dropping in like this,” Lady announced, adjusting the weight of Kalina Ann on her shoulder. “We were lucky enough to get some free time.” Behind her, the younger woman stepped out into view, gracing Trish with a warm smile that seemed to light up the room.  
… 

_Lady awoke in a slight panic as she realized she wasn’t in the comfort of her own bedroom. While her thoughts cleared, albeit accompanied by a great headache, she discovered the silver-haired demon sleeping soundly by her side. A small gasp escaped her lips at the sight, as a sharp pang of anguish ran through her. She felt mortified and betrayed, finding that the only thing covering her body was a blanket. The stench of hard liquor filled the room and she prepared herself to crack his jaw with her fist. However, shifting her body upright caused the blanket to reveal his naked body, and she couldn’t stand being near him any longer. Stealthily rising from the bed, she bunched up the blanket in her hands and threw it onto him in restrained anger. Dante stirred and shifted on his side, his back facing her, while she tensed in anticipation for his awakening. She fought the urge to jump and attack him, knowing that doing so would solve nothing, despite the fact that she shot him with little remorse in the past. She knew everything that must’ve led up to this situation wasn’t entirely his fault. She then blamed herself for agreeing to drink with him. What began as a simple invitation to hang out one rainy night turned into her worst nightmare come true, and all she could do was hope she will move on like nothing ever happened. Lady hastily dressed and gathered her possessions. She took one last look at the man with a pained yet apologetic expression and left.  
_

_As she headed downstairs, she came face to face with a certain blonde demoness’s smirk, one that insinuated scandalous theories towards the previous night. A chill ran down Lady’s spine at the thought, and she scowled with agitation in response.  
_

_“What do you want, demon?” Lady muttered angrily. Trish only stared in response and placed a hand on her hip. Lady immediately buried her head in her hand in an attempt to subside the headache. Her vision blurred and she felt the world spin. The blonde was quickly overcome by concern for her friend’s unusual behavior and watched intently as the dark-haired woman attempted to regain her composure.  
_

_“Lady-?”  
_

_“Stop. I’m not in the mood for any smart-mouthed comments. So please, excuse me.” The aforementioned woman hurriedly exited Devil May Cry and left Trish to her own thoughts.  
_

_Dante was surprisingly unaware of the events that took place that night. Only Lady and Trish knew the truth, and somehow Lady was fortunate enough to convince the devil-may-care blonde to keep her secret. However, at the same time, Trish urged her friend to reveal the truth, especially after Lady’s several bouts of morning sickness.  
_

_Lady gasped for breath as she hunched over the toilet bowl. Trish felt helpless and slightly panicked at this unfamiliar sight, while simultaneously reminding herself that Lady wasn’t hurt in any way. Trish wasn’t used to seeing Lady like this, at all. Whenever she saw her, she always saw the tougher, confident side of the fiery woman.  
_

_“Tell Dante… I’ll be late to the job…” Lady said dejectedly, as she slowly rose to her feet and flushed away the bile. She walked over to the sink and washed the bitter aftertaste out of her mouth. Trish quickly joined her side and stared intently into Lady’s red and blue eyes with aggravation.  
_

_“So you’re just going to keep doing this to yourself? What if something happens to you? What about the child? What are you so ashamed of, that you’ll die keeping this from him?” Trish’s tone grew bitter, pushing Lady further in her despair.  
_

_Her shoulders tensed and she shut her eyes, trying hard to keep her calm. “Trish!” the woman nearly yelled. “…I know what I’m doing.” The blonde scoffed in disbelief.  
_

_Trish sneered and placed her hand down on the counter, purposely invading Lady’s personal space. “Yeah, you know how to make things harder than they already are because you’re so stubborn, isn’t that right?”  
_

_A fire went ablaze in Lady’s being and she fought back the urge to fight the demoness. “If I told him even the slightest hint about this, he wouldn’t look at me anymore! You don’t understand what it’s like to have children, let alone be human.” She bit her lip promptly in remorse for saying so. An offended expression immediately appeared on Trish’s face. “And the fact that I’m having his kid… he’ll want nothing to do with it- and me. Dante isn’t the committed type of guy, if you haven’t noticed. This life we live doesn’t exactly allow settling down.” Lady hugged herself in an attempt for comfort. “I don’t even think he… likes me. Not like that. He seems so tired of me, too. I’d just be another conquest to him,” she lowered her eyes and stared at her hands in sorrow. “I know I have trouble expressing myself… but I thought it was pretty obvious that I’m in love with the guy…” She laughed wistfully and sighed, shaking her head softly. “My heart is telling me that it’s better if he doesn’t know anyways. No one should know about the kid.” Lady paused and closed her eyes, sighing. “I’m still keeping it.”  
_

_“You’re serious?” The blonde demoness put a hand on her chest in shock, staring downwards at Lady’s stomach with wide blue eyes as if a baby were to jump out and attack her at any given moment. “You’re going to raise it… by yourself?” The concept of having children was still unfamiliar to Trish and she was somehow intimidated by the mere thought of it.  
_

_“Yeah,” Lady responded with a newfound calmness and confidence. “If I can balance my job, my life, and deal with both you and Dante, I’m sure I can handle this.” Trish rolled her eyes, yet she couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s teasing. “Please Trish... don’t say anything to him.”  
_

_Trish pondered Lady’s request, but still refused to completely agree to it. “I can see where you’re coming from… but from my point of view, this still isn’t right.”  
_

_Lady spent a few seconds thinking over the many offers she could make and decided to settle on a particular one. “I’ll make you a godmother.” This caused Trish to quirk a brow. “I suppose you don’t know what that is.”  
_

_The blonde scoffed and crossed her arms, saying, “If that’s some religious thing, count me out.”  
_

_“Don’t worry, in this case, it’s nothing like that.”_  
... 

“Hey ladies,” Trish greeted the duo, leaving her perch. “You guys haven’t been around enough.”  


The younger woman made her way across the shop and placed her weapons on the wall. “Sorry Aunt Trish, but Mom wants me to keep a normal job while doing the family business on the side. It’s keeping me crazy busy! I don’t know how you guys expect me to work like a regular person and hunt demons.”  


The blonde demoness walked towards the girl, embracing her and looked over at Lady, who was running a finger over the surface of a newly cleaned window, brows raising in surprise. “Oh Lady, why won’t you cut her some slack?”  


Lady snapped her head around and narrowed her mismatched eyes at her daughter. “Rachel, stop lying to your aunt. You know you’re the one doing this to yourself.” The girl snickered and released Trish from her hold.  


“Mom, I’m only kidding!” She reclined on the couch, crossing one slender leg over the other while folding her hands behind her head. Lady huffed, already fed up with the young girl’s antics. “Besides, I’m on top of everything and the demons aren’t really being a bother right now.”  


“Wise-mouthed and full of jokes, reminds me of someone,” Lady quietly muttered, crossing her arms in annoyance. She headed in Trish’s direction, opening her arms for their long-awaited embrace. “How’ve you been?”  


Sighing as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, Trish replied with, “The usual, but at least the income is steady and the place is still standing.” Lady simply nodded in understanding, looking over her shoulder at her daughter, who began to fall asleep. The pair headed into Trish’s room, formerly the spare room. No one dared to step foot in Dante’s room upstairs, for some unspoken mutual agreement between them. It pained the women to be in close proximity to the demon hunter’s vacant abode; most specifically Lady.  


Once they made certain that no eavesdropping would occur, Trish shut the door behind her as Lady sat on the edge of the bed. She leaned over and placed a hand over one side of her face in a half-attempt to conceal her pain.  
... 

_The existence of their daughter was a living secret for nearly two decades. There were times that threatened to expose the child, namely the first couple of months of pregnancy. When a small bump began to appear, Lady felt the need to avoid being around Dante, even going as far as to cut him off entirely until she was confident that her body seemed unchanged. She had no idea how to pass off a pregnancy as if it never happened, and to make matters worse, Dante barely paid off his debts to her.  
_

_Torn between staying and leaving, ultimately she chose the latter. Trish even offered to join her, but Lady refused her company in fear that Dante’s suspicions would rise. She forced herself to work harder on her jobs and made more income than usual by avoiding (with much difficulty) property damage and ensuring her clients would pay exactly as promised. Soon, she fled the city in the dead of night, leaving a vague message behind for Trish to relay to Dante:  
_

_“In search of better opportunities, won’t be back for a while.”  
_

_The next day when Dante found out about Lady’s “vacation”, as he called it, he couldn’t help but feel a degree of abandonment. He wondered what kept the woman so grounded away from him. He had been pining after her for some time ever since they met, especially when she finally relinquished her moral bigotry against demons and hybrids like him. Trish commiserated the pair; the way they had constant communication issues. This whole situation made her question why humans had to overcomplicate things. Things could’ve been avoided if Dante wasn’t so cynical and if Lady wasn’t so obstinate.  
_

_“Gone?” Dante asked, trying to mask his confusion and surprise with nonchalance. “She was acting weird lately… whatever, at least she won’t hound me for money anymore.” He wondered if this was another one of Lady’s stunts to establish her independence… and stubbornness. However, he knew her enough to know this was extremely uncharacteristic.  
_

_For example, after the Temen-ni-gru catastrophe when Dante had offered to help her get settled by asking if she wanted to stay with him at the shop, she refused. The next day she was at his doorstep, cold, hungry, and covered in blood and rainwater. Eventually, she found her own place, despite the obstacles she faced due to being a young teenage girl with virtually no money. Another time, she nearly got into a motorcycle accident, leaving with just a few scrapes thanks to Dante catching her out of midair before she slammed into a tree. And the other time when she took on a rather difficult job solo because she didn’t want to be seen as in constant need of his assistance, she was nearly sent to the hospital. The demon she faced was able to teleport, for god's sake. The list goes on and on. It took Lady a couple of years to realize that her life somewhat revolves around him, whether she likes it or not.  
_

_But Lady leaving so suddenly with a vague explanation as to why? Something was clearly up, and he could feel it.  
_

_“I know that’s not what you’re concerned about, Dante,” Trish stated, seeing through his façade. “You care about her, but you’re trying not to think about it like that.”  
_

_“Yeah? Lady’s my friend. I’ve known her long enough to know that she’s fine on her own. It’s not that deep,” he retorted, kicking his feet up on his desk and relaxing into his chair. Trish decided to leave the conversation as is, and crossed her arms with an audible “hm”.  
_

_During the time of Lady’s absence, Trish also decided to take some time away from Devil May Cry again. She yearned to assimilate into the human world, which she didn’t really get to do in the company of the hybrid demon hunter. Sometimes he misinformed her of certain human concepts and customs for his own amusement, much to Lady’s disapproval and Trish's dismay. This was a period of soul-searching for Trish. Besides, if she spent more time around Dante, her conscience would be killing her from the inside and she might’ve ended up spilling Lady’s little secret.  
_

_Coincidentally in the middle of Trish’s endeavor, she crossed paths with Lady in a small, desolate town somewhere in the midwest.  
_

_In the heat of a battle, the said dark-haired woman fired rounds into a multitude of animalistic lesser demons, counting aloud to herself the amount of demons she destroyed, shot after shot. She easily maneuvered her way through the demons as they collapsed in her wake. One final demon crept up behind her and she prepared herself to swing her bayonet, only for the monster to turn into dust as the sound of an unfamiliar gunshot rang through the air.  
_

_“Huh?” She swiftly turned in the direction of the sound, Kalina Ann aimed and ready. She lowered her guard a little and quirked a brow. “What-?”  
_

_“Sorry to crash your party,” the blonde said, one hand on her hip, the other holding a pistol. Lady promptly tensed, repositioning Kalina Ann to fire at the demoness. Trish was momentarily taken aback by Lady’s undying hostility and tightened her grip on Luce in anticipation.  
_

_“Is Dante with you!?”  
_

_‘Oh… that’s why she’s being so weird,’ Trish thought to herself as she relaxed and put both hands up in surrender. “No. Didn’t tell him anything either.” This did nothing to convince Lady, and the blonde sighed in annoyance. Did Trish’s only other friend really not trust her? “Put that away, Lady.”  
_

_Lady furrowed her brows in defiance and demanded further proof. “Then why are you here? How did you find me!?” Trish rolled her eyes and walked towards the fired-up woman, despite the rocket launcher aimed straight for her head.  
_

_“I’m alone. I didn’t know I’d meet you on one of my trips.” Now somehow, that did the trick, and Lady hesitantly lowered her weapon, not that Trish cared if she fired it or not. The blonde narrowed her eyes, focused on the shape of Lady’s lower stomach. “…You don’t look pregnant.”  
_

_The dark-haired woman slung Kalina Ann over her shoulder as she began walking off. After a brief moment of silence, Lady spoke up. “Well I was.”  
_

_The blonde’s blue eyes widened in realization and she feared the worst. “Did you-? I’m so sorry…”  
_

_Lady side-eyed Trish curiously, her brow raised in confusion. “What?”  
_

_“Did you lose it?”  
_

_“She’s fine.” Lady sighed passively, as Trish stared incredulously at her. It took a good five seconds for the blonde to process the information and Lady could almost see the cogs turning in her head.  
_

_When she found her voice, Trish asked in the sincerest tone that Lady had ever heard coming from her, “Can I see her?”  
_

_“No,” Lady replied bluntly, a sudden bite to her tone.  
_

_The blonde demoness, already fed up with the human woman’s passive aggressive behavior, turned on her heel, blocking Lady’s path, almost colliding headfirst into her. She had her hands on her hips, a frown on her face. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”  
_

_Lady’s anger surged up again and she clenched her guns tightly in her hands. “‘No’, as in no! What’s so hard about that!?” Tears stung the corners of her eyes, which threatened to fall. She maneuvered around the blonde and cursed silently to herself. “Just leave already!”  
_

_Trish, however, refused to back down and followed after Lady relentlessly. “Where is she?” she asked aloud with apathy towards Lady’s demands and threats.  
_

_Silence.  
_

_“I’m not going to leave you alone.”  
_

_Silence.  
_

_“I’ll track her down myself and bring her to Dante if that’s what it takes to get an explanation, Lady.” Trish stressed her name, keeping up with Lady’s quickened pace with ease.  
_

_Silence.  
_

_A low groan, and then a pained sigh. “I had no choice, Trish.” Lady came to a halt and turned around slowly to face her. “After she was born, I knew that no matter what I did, I wouldn’t be able to be there for her. I can’t stop hunting demons nor be a mother. She deserves a better life… something I’ll never be able to provide.” A sob escaped her lips and Trish placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It hurts so much, Trish. I love her more than anything. The second she was born, the second I heard that cry, something within me… clicked. When I first looked into her eyes, I just melted and nothing else mattered. She is my whole world, and now I feel like I just lost everything again. My daughter is out there, and I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again!”_  
… 

“She said that she’s been hearing his voice in her dreams lately, calling for us. I don’t know what it all means,” Lady said in a low voice. She studied the floor, getting lost in thought as Trish made her way across the room towards the window.  


Crossing her arms, the blonde stared through the glass. “I guess that’s pure coincidence or whatever, but considering we live in a world full of demons and sorcery...” Lady raised her head, eyes attentive as Trish met her gaze. “Look, if he’s sending us a message, one thing’s for certain; there’s a way for him to get back to here.”  


“But that red head told us what happened, that he may never return.”  


“May never return, not will. So we still have a chance.” Trish gave her a look of confidence, which Lady reciprocated. “Don’t be so down, babe. You know Dante, he’s not the type to just disappear on us. But he is one to take his sweet ass time.” Lady chuckled, knowing the statement held much truth to it.  


Now fully sitting upright, Lady asked, “So what are you proposing?”  


“A few days ago I was just speaking with Lucia.” A thoughtful smirk appeared on Trish’s lips. “She told me about some rifts that lead to the demon world still appear every now and then in Fortuna. And maybe if we get in contact with his nephew too, we can-”  


“-summon Dante from hell.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Hope it wasn't too repetitive or boring. After a few months, I finally decided to post this, and I was really hesitant to do so. I went through a lot of research and planning to create this story, and not gonna lie, it was fun. A hell of a lot more is on the way if anyone is up for it.
> 
> So to clear things up, in the present day time, Dante is 50-ish (old man), Lady is 47-48, Nero is about 30, and Rachel is around 19-20. I don't know what Trish and Lucia are because their origins are still sorta vague, whereas we were given some background to the rest of the cast. Something that helped me plan out their ages was this video called "Game Theory: Dante's Age Solved (Fan-Made)".
> 
> I've thought of Lady as just a couple years younger than Dante, and Nero being born not too long before DMC 3, since Vergil was gone for year doing god-knows-what in Fortuna before trying to deck his bro for his half of the amulet lmfao
> 
>  **Why is their daughter's name Rachel?** A prominent female character in the Divine Comedy is named Rachel, just like how Trish is named after Beatrice, so I decided on that name.


	2. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three make a brief stop in Vie de Marli on their way to Nero's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **DMC 5 Lady is SO GORGEOUS & BEAUTIFUL. **
> 
>  
> 
> (Minor changes in this chapter.)

A rough nudge to the leg woke Rachel from her catnap, her body reacting with lethargy. She squeezed her eyes shut to shield them from the blinding light emanating from the light fixtures above. Stretching and yawning, with much agitation she complained aloud.  


“Ngh… What the-!?” Her bi-colored eyes that matched those of her mother’s, briefly possessed the same angry fire Lady had in her youth, then reduced to the tired glare similar to Dante’s when he was awakened from his own naps.  


“Get up, sleepyhead,” Lady teased, chastising Rachel’s indolence. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do.” Lady began collecting her weapons, mounting Kalina Ann onto her back. Trish waited for the mother-daughter duo with her guns Luce and Ombra in each hand and giggled at the young girl’s sounds of protest.  


Rachel sat up, brushing silver locks away from her face, and sighed. “Would it kill you guys to just wait a little longer?”  


“Oh, we could’ve left you, but we were sure you didn’t wanna miss out on all the fun,” Trish replied, giving the girl a goading wink. Rachel groaned and muttered obscenities under her breath, rising from the age-old couch. “Come on, we’ll meet up with Lucia and see if Nero wants to tag along.”  


The young silver-haired hybrid let out a cynical laugh and scoffed. “Are you serious?” Rachel gawked at the two women in disbelief. “Remember that time he went on a job with us? When I got in the picture?”  


Lady frowned in disapproval of her daughter’s comments, finding the timing inappropriate and placed a hand on her hip. She exchanged looks with Trish and shook her head dismissively. “If you don’t want to come, so be it. We’ll be off to see your father without you then.” Without hesitation, the pair turned around and headed for the doors. Rachel froze, her eyes wide and mouth ajar. She called after the two, catching up with them just as they left the shop.  


…  


_As much as Dante liked to deny it, he missed Lady. Even if she annoyed him with her constant nagging and what he called “bitchy attitude”, they remained great friends despite their occasional disagreements. If the circumstances were different, maybe they’d be together by now, or so he thought. Dante was aware that it could never be; the lives they lead simply prevent it. They’re both too damaged, too broken for anything more than what they already had, and the demons they continually face are no help either. In his eyes, Lady was more than just a companion or a business partner. She’s an irreplaceable part of him, of his life.  
_

_Time to time, he would make a move, but she opted to dismiss it, choosing to view it as Dante toying around with her for his own amusement. And that’s how he wanted her to view it. So that he wouldn’t accidentally hurt either of them and that she wouldn’t be the one who got away. It was his own painful method of playing it safe. That was the farthest they could ever go.  
_

_He hated living like that.  
_

_Leaning against his desk, Dante drew a sip of whiskey from his glass. All he desired in that moment was for his surfacing emotions to fade away again and dissipate into nothing. He kept drinking until he swore he felt numb.  
_

_The abrupt, high-pitched squeak of door hinges interrupted his mood, catching his attention. He quietly put his glass down. He didn’t bother to look up.  
_

_“Slow day?” Trish walked up to his desk, the straps of a duffel bag in one hand.  
_

_He kept his eyes lowered. “Back already? That was quick. You gonna stay this time?”  
_

_“I don’t know just yet,” she answered. “I still haven’t gone to the west coast. I heard it’s way different from over here. I’m going to deal with jobs on the way too. It’ll sort of be like a spontaneous road trip.” Dante peered up at her and noticed the shorter length of her hair, albeit a subtle change. He stood up straight and crossed his arms, side-eyeing Trish through his bangs.  
_

_“Sounds fun." The blonde playfully shrugged in response to his aloofness. "Tell me… why are you really here?”  
_

_Her smug expression morphed into impassiveness. “Nothing, just visiting.” She smiled again. “With a friend.”  
_

_Dante lacked a reaction and stared at her, his expression indifferent. He scoffed and turned away, walking towards the pool table. “She’s probably back just to hassle me for some fucking money.”  
_

_A familiar voice broke into the conversation. “On the contrary.” In the doorway stood Lady, her expression cool. Something about her seemed off, but he knew this was still the same old Lady as before. Nonetheless, he felt she was a sight for sore eyes. “I just wanted to drop by and say hi.”  
_

_“Welcome back,” Dante said with a smile, catching Lady off-guard with this uncharacteristic display of hospitality. “You want a drink? Got a fresh bottle right here.” His seemingly calm eyes masked all the pent up anguish that screamed for release. He desired to question her about everything but fought the urge.  
_

_Trish could cut the tension between them with a knife, and knew best to leave the rest alone. “I’ll get us some food. You both got some catching up to do. And please guys, don’t make a mess.” The doors slammed shut once she left.  
_

_Lady felt like she was lured into a trap, one that she voluntarily walked into. She never expected what she was supposed to do after convincing herself to see him. Make an awkward exchange of words? Hug him and be on her way as if nothing happened? Cry and confess everything? She never felt this vulnerable around him before, not even at the tower.  
_

_“I’m not really in the mood for a drink right now…” She noticed Dante staring intently at her for longer than usual, leading her to self-consciously cross her arms over her chest, partly out of shame but mostly in an act of reassurance. She wondered if the universe was testing her sanity.  
_

_He quirked a silver brow and kept her locked in his indecipherable gaze. “Your loss.” He picked up his glass, made a ‘toast’ to her, and downed the rest of the drink.  
_

_A painful awkward silence ensued and neither of them knew what to do or say next. Lady kept her distance away from him on the other side of the room by staring through a nearby window to keep herself occupied. She wished Trish didn’t leave and anticipated for the blonde to return waltzing right through the doors. She frowned, turning to face Dante, who was now seated in his chair with his nose buried in some magazine. Feeling a sudden spike in confidence, she strode over to his desk and propped herself up on a corner beside him. Uncertainty returned when she thought of her next move.  
_

_His eyes momentarily met hers and he tried hard to ignore her gaze as he stared blankly at the pages. He struggled to focus; everything he thought of in that second immediately led back to her. She continued to stare at him, refusing to do anything else but spend some… what? Time with him? She scoffed and shook her head at the thought, inadvertently garnering his full attention.  
_

_“I know I’m hot, babe. Honestly, you’re just creeping me out now. I haven’t seen you in a while, and you haven’t changed since.”  
_

_“Neither have you,” she retorted, “Anything interesting happen while I was away?”  
_

_“Same old, same old. Demons, sorcerers, the unusual. You?”  
_

_She briefly averted her gaze, her mind flooding with visions of demonic carnage, speeding down haunted highways, meaningless hookups with strangers, endless nights, guzzling drinks, bawling her eyes out, staring at the walls of motel rooms, the baby- “Nothing much.”  
_

_“Seems to me like you had to think hard about that.” He kept his eyes on the magazine, but he could sense her frustrated scowl. He wanted to ask what bothered her, but decided not to press on in hopes to maintain her company for as long as possible.  
_

_She sighed and lowered her eyes, guilt overcoming her frustration. She glanced up to see if he was still preoccupied with the magazine, which indeed he was.  
_

_“I…” Lady began. He switched his gaze to her and listened attentively. “…I’ll see you around, alright Dante?”  
_

_He lowered the magazine and sat upright. “Okay…” Dante frowned slightly and narrowed his eyes, disliking this strange unfamiliar behavior she exhibited. “Wait.”  
_

_She hastily prepared to leave, her hands barely on Kalina Ann. “…Yes?” Her voice was delicate, with a touch of nervousness that she hoped went unnoticed.  
_

_Dante was at a loss for words, as she’d usually brush him aside when he showed a hint of worry. But here, she waited for him to continue with his words. For him, this was truly a rare occurrence.  
_

_“Take care, Lady.” For the first time in years, she saw the concern in his eyes, concern that was for her and only her. It was the same type of concern he displayed back in the library of Temen-ni-gru, after he won the right to battle her father Arkham, and directly before he attempted to kiss her.  
_

_Lady stared at him for a moment, a small smile forming on her lips.  
_

_“See you, Dante.” She left the office, the shadow of her form disappearing into the light.  
_

…  


The skyscrapers that once stood looming over the populace of the island of Vie de Marli are currently in progress of being demolished, due to the casualties the Uroboros Corporation caused, losing power when its overseer Arius attempted to unleash hell but was defeated by a member of the Vie de Marli Protectorate, Lucia. Remnants of the massive edifices still remained scattered throughout, as were memories of grief, horror, and tragedy. It was reminiscent of the Temen-ni-gru catastrophe. The city was determined to begin anew and cleanse itself of the evil that took place.  


In the time since Uroboros collapsed, Lucia had slowly rebuilt the ancient clan of Vie de Marli, discovering that those on the island were not the only sole members left. It turns out, there were more descendants, all from around the world. Ever since word got out that the island’s peace was restored, the hybrid descendants of the clan reconvened. However, membership was no longer exclusive to those with the blood of the ancients. Humans and demons alike, with a will and desire to preserve justice in the world, are welcomed with open arms.  


Lucia anxiously awaited the arrival of the women, especially after getting the phone call. Dante’s situation was finally being handled, and she’s been secretly aching about it ever since he went to hell after tricking her.  


At one of the many wharves of Vie de Marli, she spotted an incoming ferry in the bay, and aboard it were the renowned huntresses. She hurried over to the pier, searching for them through a small crowd of people.  


“Lucia! Over here!”  


Turning her head towards the speaker, she spotted the white clad woman, and greeted her with a smile.  


“Lady! It is nice to see you again. Where are the others?”  


“Right here,” Trish announced, walking up to the pair, followed shortly by Rachel.  


“Hey Lucia,” the young girl greeted warmly.  


“Follow me, ladies,” Lucia headed towards the boardwalk. “I prefer we’d speak in privacy.”  


Lucia’s home stood high atop a bluff that overlooked the sea. The setting sun cast a warm orange glow; the view ethereal and picturesque. She explained that the house has been in her mother Matier’s family for generations, and that no evil entity attempts to get in proximity due to the high concentration of Protectorate ancestral energy surrounding the area.  


They discussed matters in the living room. Trish and Lady lounged upon a sofa, with Rachel and Lucia sitting opposite them in small living chairs.  


“So I assume that Trish has informed you two of the rifts?”  


Lady nodded. “Yes. Have there been more of them recently? And is there more information regarding their function?”  


Lucia pondered the question briefly, and replied, “Some of my sources say that they’re most prevalent around the Order of the Sword’s castles. No one knows how they appear or their exact function, since most clan members see them sporadically throughout their missions in Fortuna. However, there has been sightings of a few demonic entities entering this world through them. Some of the clan suspects that former members of the Order may be responsible for this, but that is highly unlikely considering the clan closely monitors them. But… I have been thinking. The Order is certainly disbanded. If not the Order, then what else is causing the rifts? Perhaps, the work of sorcerers or entities from the other side?”  


“Entities… You mean like Dante?” Rachel asked anxiously.  


“Is he capable of such a thing?”  


“Absolutely not. I know for sure,” Lady replied. The young hybrid lowered her eyes dejectedly.  


“Well maybe now he can,” Trish joked. “There may be more that the Sparda bloodline is capable of, and we just don’t know it yet. I’m serious- Dante literally learns new abilities every time we go on some big mission. Speaking of which… Rachel, what else do you hear from him in your dreams?”  


The hybrid girl perked up again. “Actually… not a lot. I barely started hearing him a few days ago. It’s all just weird cryptic stuff.”  


“How cryptic..?”  


Rachel looked around, deep in thought. “He talks about Sparda and Eva. Sometimes his brother. Also-” A snort escaped her. “Sorry.” Lady, Trish, and Lucia exchanged looks of confusion, waiting for her to continue. “He wants pizza. My dreams get eerily accurate sometimes.”  


Trish couldn’t help but smile; of all the things, Dante spends time in hell longing for pizza. “Well Lady, he’s still the same old guy.” She nudged the said woman’s arm, who chuckled in response.  


“Anything else?” Lady asked.  


Rachel shook her head, sighing and shrugging. “I tried to make sense of it all but I’m stumped. I even asked Nero for help, and he doesn’t have a clue about anything, as usual.”  


Her mother immediately shot her a warning look, narrowing her eyes to scold the girl. The hybrid averted her eyes, struggling to suppress a laugh. Trish snorted, smirking at the young girl for her habitual sarcasm towards her elder cousin. Lucia quietly giggled in amusement alongside the blonde.  


“About Nero,” Lucia interrupted, “have you gotten in touch with him?”  


“Not yet, but we will soon,” Trish replied.  


The red-haired demoness nodded, concluding their discussion, and stood up to help her mother prepare dinner in the kitchen. Rachel followed suit, excusing herself to the bathroom when in truth she was simply trying to avoid Lady’s unsettling stare.  


“Why can’t she be more like Kyrie?” Lady quietly griped.  


“Because,” Trish started with an impish smile, “she learned from you.”  


…  


Rummaging through her bag, Rachel came across an old, faded photo of her parents at what appeared to be a house party. Surrounded in a crowd, Dante had his arm wrapped around Lady’s shoulders as she raised a bottle. The hybrid girl’s bi-colored eyes landed on the youthful version of her father’s face, studying his features. It was pointed out before that she inherited Dante’s smile. She traced her finger over the photo’s wrinkled edges, turning it to view some writing scrawled on the back.  


_Crazy night with this Lady  
_

A foolish smile crept up on Rachel’s face as she read his cheesy caption. Standing up, she strode across the hall to Lady’s room. She knocked on the door and opened it once she heard Lady call her in.  


“Look what I found!” She waved the photo in the air and sat at the edge of her mother’s bed. Lady peered up at her, using her hands to prop herself up. She took the photo from Rachel’s hand, her lips slowly curling into a soft smile. Her finger traced over Dante’s form.  


“I’ve never seen this before. Where’d you get this?”  


“I found it,” Rachel replied, shrugging. “Don’t know why it was in my bag. Maybe he left this in there before he gave it to me.”  


“Hmm… I remember this. He convinced me to go to some guy’s party. I don’t know why I trusted him right away. At that time, I’ve only known him for a couple of years. That party was pretty crazy…” She chuckled. “He got us kicked out after punching some drunk in the face.” Rachel noted the way Lady began zoning out for a few seconds. Lady’s smile faltered and she shoved the photo into Rachel’s hands, laying back down. “This makes me feel old.”  


Rachel took this as her cue to give her mother space and head to bed. “I’ll leave this here for you.” She placed the photo on the nightstand and quietly walked away. “Night, mom.”  


…  


_Several years had passed since the mission in Fortuna, as well as the discovery of Vergil’s son, Nero. This revelation brought more than joy to Dante, it brought him a sense of reassurance; he was no longer alone. His brother and their parents live on through the boy. The pressure of being the only descendant of Sparda was now lost to him.  
_

_Nero unquestioningly abandoned his title as a Holy Knight of the Order, instead he chose to follow his uncle in the business of devil hunting. He gradually spent more time at the Devil May Cry, forming unlikely friendships with his fellow hunters Trish and Lady. It wasn’t long until his skills further developed and he could almost hold a candle to Dante, yet more was to come before he would be able to match the veteran devil hunter.  
_

_Alone in the shop, Nero decided to stay behind for once while Dante and Trish took up a mission, while Lady handled her own jobs elsewhere. He usually disliked lingering in Dante’s office by himself. The lack of action bored him easily.  
_

_He wandered into the armory in the back area of the office and perused the nearly countless weapons and Devil Arms that Dante accumulated over the years. His silver-blue eyes narrowed and fixated on a certain Devil Arm that caught his attention.  
_

_‘A triple nun-chuck? Since when did the old man ever need this?’ He laughed to himself, reaching up to take the blue nun-chucks off their mount on the wall. Before he could grab them, the phone began to ring. No doubt the call would either be from a customer or Dante himself.  
_

_“Devil May Cry.”  
_

_The caller revealed herself to be a frantic old woman, eager to pay a hefty amount of money. The woman rambled indiscernibly while Nero struggled to comprehend her words. “This is Nero speaking- Ma’am? Yeah- ma’am, I’ll be there soon, please-” The woman barely let him speak. Having had enough, he abruptly hung up the phone, exhaling loudly. ‘…Jeez. It’s like she wanted me to turn down the job.’ He jogged towards the doors, wondering if the elderly woman passed out after the call ended. ‘Better make this quick.’  
_

_He finally arrived at the customer’s house and knocked on the door somewhat harder than intended. After several minutes, the door opened slightly, faded brown eyes peering through the small crack. The woman stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time, gliding up and down his body. Nero’s eyes darted around in confusion as he awkwardly scratched the bridge of his nose.  
_

_“Are you from the Devil May Cry?” the woman asked in a harsh whisper.  
_

_“Yeah, are you Miss S-” Before finishing his question, he was forcefully whisked inside.  
_

_“Don’t be so loud! It might hear you.” The woman hobbled off with her cane and slowly lowered herself onto a chair. She held up a small revolver and aimed it at his chest. “Now young man, tell me your name.”  
_

_Nero kept his composure, unbothered by the extreme security measures she took. “I’m Nero. And you?” He noticed her wary glance at his arm. “Don’t mind it.”  
_

_“Sabrina.” Gun lowered, she held out her hand. Nero quirked a silver brow and secretly hoped the old woman didn’t turn out to be a mad scientist with a knack for exploiting demonic power and demonizing people. Or an insane cult member with a god complex. He approached her and slowly shook hands.  
_

_“O.K. Miss Sabrina, what happened?”  
_

_Her brows knitted together in worry. “I was going to take a walk this morning in the woods out back and I saw a couple of those demons rushing through the yard. One of them saw me and tried to attack, but I got inside just in time before anything could happen, thank God. Scared me half to death!” Nero nodded, turning to leave, yet she stopped him with her cane. “If you ruin anything, I’ll deduct the damages from your pay, do you understand?”  
_

_He proceeded towards the tree line, his revolver Blue Rose in his hand. He spent several minutes walking along a path; the blue sky morphing into orange during the sun's descent. Later on, he discovered a small creek, and decided to take a short break from his search. Crouching down to run his hand through the flowing water, his arm pulsated momentarily. He could sense an unfamiliar onlooker hiding somewhere behind the trees. Nonetheless, he continued with his act and pretended not to notice.  
_

_Nero abruptly fired with Blue Rose and a small figure, after being exposed, sped off in the direction of the old woman’s home. Silently cursing, he began his pursuit, catching up to his target. Utilizing the spectral form of his Devil Bringer, Nero grasped onto the target’s body, yanking them back towards him.  
_

_The target yelped and landed ungracefully in front of Nero. It wasn’t just an “it”, it appeared to be a young girl, wearing an over-sized and tattered raincoat that concealed much of her face and body. He furrowed his brows as he lowered his revolver and glanced at his arm, shining brighter this time. Before he could get a good look at the girl, she punched him square in the face and dashed off.  
_

_Nero stood there, baffled by the action. Was this girl the ‘demon’ that old lady rambled about? Or was the girl just some ordinary trouble-making kid? He sighed to himself and returned to the house, frustrated by a feeling of deception.  
_

_“Did you get any?” Sabrina inquired, clutching a purse in her hands and readily taking out wads of cash. Nero shook his head, holding his hand up in refusal.  
_

_“There was nothing- Look, I hunt demons, not children. So I suggest you stop wasting my time, and get the cops to handle this.”  
_

_“What? Children!? You must think I’m crazy, don’t you?” Ignoring the woman’s curses, he marched out of the house, heading straight back to the office.  
_

_Everyone had already returned from their jobs, with the addition of a patiently waiting Kyrie. Nero hugged her on sight and was more than happy to see her refreshing smile after a disappointing workday.  
_

_“Kid, you seem more annoyed and edgier than usual,” Dante commented, chuckling as he put an arm around his nephew and ruffled the young hybrid’s hair.  
_

_“Nero, what’s the matter?” Kyrie questioned, taking hold of her lover’s hand. Nero gently shoved Dante away, proceeding to rant in front of everyone.  
_

_Trish spoke up, “And you didn’t even bother taking the money? Sheesh.”  
_

_“I already had enough of that old lady since the call. If I stayed around longer, I might’ve gone nuts as well.” He shrugged. “I had a feeling that job was a sham anyways.”  
_

_“Just wait, that kind of job will be the first of many,” commented Lady.  
_

_“Tell me about it,” the other two devil hunters said in unison.  
_

_The young couple went home early that night. Nero decided to take time off the next day. In the darkness of their bedroom, they laid beside each other, Kyrie’s head resting against Nero’s chest, his arm around her.  
_

_“Kyrie?” She stirred at the sound of his voice, her hazel eyes opening slowly to peer up at him.  
_

_“Yeah?” The russet-haired woman noticed the way he remained heavily fixated on his arm, which he hadn’t done for a while since Fortuna. “Nero… you’re doing the thing again.”  
_

_He glanced at her and lowered his arm. “Oh. Well... I need to tell you that something else happened today. Something really strange.” Kyrie shifted to rest her weight on her arm. She placed a gentle hand on his chest.  
_

_“What do you mean?”  
_

_Nero stared at her, concern written all over his features. He held his Devil Bringer up, so that they could both view. “My arm… it started glowing, before the girl appeared.” He paused. “I didn’t tell them about that part. Should I have?”  
_

_The following afternoon, Devil May Cry received a call, and as usual, Dante made Trish answer the phone while he played a game of pool with Lady.  
_

_She lowered the phone, covering the mouthpiece with her hand, “It’s Nero's client from yesterday! She’s really persistent this time and her price is even higher.”  
_

_Lady placed a hand on her hip, lowering the cue stick from its position on the table. “Well guys, looks like we have no choice on this one. There’s no backing out.”  
_

_“That’s alright with me,” Dante chimed in. “Besides, Nero doesn’t want the cash so it’s up for grabs.” He moved to collect his guns Ebony and Ivory and his sword Rebellion. “What do you guys say?”  
_

_Trish uncovered the mouthpiece. “We’ll be right there.”  
_

_After being confronted, or rather held at gunpoint by Sabrina, they spread out in the forest to search for the demon that terrorized the old woman into lunacy. According to her, the same demon that targeted her the other day returned alone at her doorstep.  
_

_Lady discovered a clearing, her eyes darting around for any suspicious activity, while Trish came across the same creek as Nero before. She found his boot prints, following them until they disappeared into a thick patch of grass. Dante continued down a path, bored out of his mind, absently twirling his guns. He sighed and wandered near the edge of a drop off, balancing on a log.  
_

_Trish scanned the area before her with her eyes, unable to sense anything or anyone. She backtracked, using the prints, and continued in the opposite direction, leaping over the wide creek with ease. She eventually made it to the same clearing as Lady, and this time, she was sure she was being watched. The sudden burst of a missile alerted the demoness, who quickly sped off toward the source.  
_

_Lady found herself surrounded by a horde of demons, defeating them several at a time. Trish joined her side unannounced, the air crackling with electricity as she released bursts of lightning from her palms.  
_

_The raven haired woman glanced at her hunting partner, firing another missile into the horde. “Can’t resist stealing my thunder, huh?”  
_

_“More like can’t resist joining the fun,” Trish retorted. They coordinated their attacks, mercilessly slaughtering the monsters left and right in a matter of seconds until only a couple remained. They each fired at one of the demons, the blood of the monsters bursting forth from their bodies like fireworks.  
_

_No live demons were left in sight after the smoke cleared. All except for one. In the distance stood a small figure.  
_

_Lady narrowed her eyes. “Is that-?”  
_

_Trish dashed across the field without hesitation, closing the gap between her and the girl in no time. She fired a warning shot of lightning, and to her surprise, the girl fired back with her own bursts of energy. Trish evaded the two discs of pink light with ease. They returned to the girl like boomerangs and hovered above her palms. She noticed the girl’s smug look underneath her hood. The blonde demoness moved hair from her face, aiming her guns. She then fired a couple rounds from Luce and Ombra, and the girl deflected them with her energy discs at the last second.  
_

_The girl taunted her by shaking her head slowly, her smirk unwavering. She advanced wordlessly towards Trish, her steps silent and her dual lights fading into obscurity. Once she got in proximity, Trish attempted to focus in on her face. She inwardly cringed at the sight of the sunglasses the girl wore; to her they seemed tacky. They circled each other cautiously like rival predators.  
_

_Trish made the first move, her electrified fist swinging dangerously close to the girl’s face, who leaned away and kicked upwards to strike the demoness in the head. She swiftly turned and caught the girl’s leg with her hand. The girl freed herself from Trish’s hold by back-flipping, using her free foot to direct a streak of deadly energy at her opponent.  
_

_Rolling to the side, Trish fired her guns. The girl deflected the bullets once more, and sent her two energy discs flying again. She lunged at Trish and struck her in the jaw before leaping away. Trish fired her lightning semi-blindly, singeing a large portion of the girl’s raincoat. The girl sniffed the air, quickly grabbing her burnt coat and gasped in dismay. She turned to face Trish again, but the blonde had snuck up and landed a heavy blow on the girl’s face, completely shattering her sunglasses in the process. The girl stumbled back and opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented. Small red scratches surrounded the newly exposed skin around the girl's eyes, then disappeared in seconds. She stared at Trish in shock, followed by anger before raising her fists to manifest her powers.  
_

_Trish raised her hand, charging her lightning to its maximum. Lady, who had been spectating, watched in confusion as Trish suddenly ceased generating electricity. Knocked off her feet, the demoness's body tumbled helplessly across the field. The raven-haired woman shouted her name in alarm, fired Kalina Ann, and ran headfirst into combat, guns blazing. The girl split the missile down the center while the storm of bullets whizzed past her face. She aimed and released a disc toward Lady’s head, one too quick for the huntress to dodge. Simultaneously, Dante finally entered the fight. He blindly charged into the battle with Rebellion and deflected the disc, almost faster than the girl could process. She barely escaped him and darted into the forest out of terror as Dante rapidly fired bullets into her back.  
_

_“Dante, DON’T!” Trish desperately called out after him. Lady rushed to her side and lowered her guns once she heard the genuine distress in the demoness’s voice.  
_

_“Why!? That demon got away!” He spat out, eager to kill.  
_

_“You could’ve hurt her!” Trish shot back. She stood up slowly, brushed aside hair from her face, and dusted herself off. “She’s just a kid.”  
_

_He narrowed his eyes. “A kid that almost took your lives.”  
_

_“Dante,” Lady intervened. “We're completely fine.” He refused to make eye contact, instead closing his eyes as if to ignore her.  
_

_“Well, we’re still alive, okay?” Trish said sternly. Her hands rest on her hips and she glared at him to emphasize her point. Dante scoffed in disbelief, his anger boiling down into annoyance as he mounted Rebellion onto his back. He took one final glance in the direction the girl fled and shook his head in disdain.  
_

_The female hunters watched Dante walk away in silence, each of their minds racing a thousand miles a minute. Lady then followed after him, until Trish seized her arm in a firm, unshakable grip. “I said I kept your promise, Lady.” She lowered her voice to avoid alerting Dante. Her intent stare unsettled the raven-haired woman . “That girl has your eyes.”  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a vicious cycle of revising and horrible time management, I finally decided that this was decent enough to post. Hopefully, this isn't as crappy as I think it is. I tried to make it a little longer than the first chapter to compensate for taking so long to update... (I'm sorry!!!)
> 
> I tried to make Rachel fit into this universe as smoothly as possible. I wanted her to have abilities that are exclusively hers like each character does. And to make her seem similar to but distinguishable from Nero in terms of the ability to manifest their powers, she'll just have these two glowing magic sigils that manifest at will, so to provide a contrast between them the way Dante and Vergil have one. If that makes any sense. I don't really think I'll give her a weapon... everyone has swords and guns. No, I'm not trying to rip off the new V character. Also, I'm not creative enough to come up with an original weapon or Devil Arm. OC's have never been my strength. I especially wanna avoid turning her into a Mary-sue type of character. Apologies if it turned out cringey. Oh well.
> 
> (Trish clearly would've won the fight but she wouldn't wanna hurt Lady's long-lost baby. Also, Dante at that time still didn't know a single thing about her.)


End file.
